Campus Ministry

By Mary Niebler

On April 3, we celebrated this year’s recipients of the Miryam Award here at UD. The Miryam Award recognizes individuals and groups in our campus community who have enhanced the climate for women here on campus.
This year, we are happy to celebrate the great works of Elizabeth Herdmann, a third year law student, and F3USE, a group of female STEM faculty who build connections, integrate and succeed within their various disciplines, with the support of one another.
The Miryam Award, which is sponsored by Campus Ministry’s Center for Social Concern, is inspired by the many “Marys” of the Old and New Testaments. We are drawn into the desire to express our full selves through the example of Miriam, the prophetess, who, in Exodus, leads the people in a dance of joy upon crossing the Red Sea.
We are struck by the faith of Mary of Magdala throughout the Gospels, who serves as a strong example of discipleship.
We can find focus and priority from Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who takes time to be with Jesus instead of being distracted by the work of the day.
And we stand in awe of the “yes” of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who is confronted with a profound and seemingly overwhelming choice, proposed by the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation: to bring God into the world in human form.
Our Miryam Award recipients, in many ways, have stood strong through challenge and have built bridges here at UD that
continue to create a more equitable, safe, fair and thriving atmosphere for all.
Please visit our website for more information on these inspiring women.

Mary Niebler
Associate Director for the CSC
Coordinator of Cross-Cultural Immersions